Title: Equal and Opposite
Rating: K
Characters: Ed/Winry
Summary: Winry studies Ed.
A/N: Written as part of my
Alphabet Drabbles challenge, as requested by
lettersandliars, with the prompt "physics". When I got the prompt I spent all this time angsting like, omg, can I use a science that doesn't exist in this universe? And then I was like, wait, does it not exist in the manga, or is that only the anime? And then I was like SCREW THAT, IMA JUST WRITE FLUFF. Here!
Physics
-noun
1. A science that deals with matter and energy and their interactions.
Ed is easily the most interesting patient in her case load. And not just for the traditional reasons, either, like how young he was during his surgeries, or how short his recovery time was or the scars he still carries from the bolts in his restored flesh arm. Everything about Ed is fascinating, and despite the fact that she has spent years studying his body and how to make it work there are still some reactions and interactions that she has yet to learn.
Little things like - like tightening the screws in the port to his leg, and a stray lock of hair brushing softly against his thigh. She’d had no idea that Ed could hold his breath that long. Or the brightness in his eyes when she touches his newly flesh arm, stroking down the shoulder and elbow to his palm while his gaze flits between her hands and her face, as if in disbelief that he’s really feeling the sensation of her touch. And the way he flushes when she braids his hair, sliding her fingers between the strands and combing gently.
They all cause something heavy to sit in her chest - a certain terror and pride in knowing that she is the one responsible for these interactions, and a strange clinical detachment to the curiosity that files each and every motion inside of her brain for future reference.
It’s not until the day that he wraps his arms around her waist when he kisses her, and then studies her face afterwards, half asking for permission, half memorizing her reaction, that she realizes Ed is watching her the same way she’s been scrutinizing him.
Winry almost tries to stop herself from grinning at the realization - Ed always was the type to study until he got something exactly right.